Ugh just keep waiting for it to be better. Where most of my pain is in in my lower back of neck area, both shoulders but leftis worse. numbness and tingling both arms and hands feels like I have gloves or something. shouldblades are on FIRE which Im sure is normal healing right?

Yes my ns is concerned. Ugh!!!!!!! To top it all off at the end of the month, my mom is having surgery on her foot and will be off work for a month. I HAVE to get back to work like.... yesterday!

No pt until we get this under control is what my ns said and NO to work of any sort.

PS I do walk almost everyday of some sort.

What level did you have fusion? I'm not clear on that.

The burning COULD be from the nerves healing, but usually it's not quite that bad. Did he put you on any medication for that? There IS medication for the burning-type pain -- now whether it would work for healing type pain, I don't know. But it might.

Nerves grow back at the average rate of one inch per month -- so depending on how extensive the surgery was, and how much nerve damage there was, it could take awhile for the nerves to heal. But it does seem pretty strange that the pain is THAT severe. Plus the extent of the tingling is disconceerting too!

I hope this all "fixes" itself soon. I'd hate to think you'd have to have more surgery in the near future. Do you know how many of these surgeries this doctor has done? I hope he's done alot of them before YOU.

Keep us posted, and hope to hear from you soon. Hugs, Lee

I agree with Leesa, at 6 weeks, there should be a little let up with the pain. Please keep touch with your doctor and let him know you have some concerns. Try not to worry about work just yet. heal and take it easy. ginnie

I had 3 level fusion c/3-c/6. I also have scoliosis double curve, which of course adds to the issues. It is somewhat better now thank you. However not my arms and hands. My dr says thats normal after a surgery like mine. I have more energy so thats a bonus. Still not feeling like Ill be back to work soon which of course concerns me, hubby says stop worrying about it.

Hello mrsalkire

Is your shoulder pain new symptom post acdf ? Im two years out still have major shoulder &neck pain---shoulder being the worst. You dont want to rush going back to work soon ---sometimes I feel that was my big mistake.Hope u start feeling better soon!!

x2 with the shoulder neck pain. I get the tingling down the arms numb hand and weakness and this is my second neck surgery. Depending how badly compressed the nerve was prior to surgery has a lot to do with how long it will take to heal, if it heals at all.

Thank you for your response. I had arm pain on left side along with weakness and tingling however now right side tingling and numbness also ffrom elbow down no pain on either side but
I do have new shoulder pain on left side. neck hurts especially @ night. my husband has to get up with me many times a night so I can roll over. Waiting on another injection right now. I really mean it when I say thank you! I also am a broken record when people ask me if I am better yet.

Two years out and it's still bad? What does your dr say? I'm 14 weeks post op and scared to death that this pain is never going to get better.

Im also worried that this is going to be like this forever.

I am woried for all of you too. I so hope that the pain gets better, and that some of the nerves heal. I really had some problems that whole first year. Each year since has gotten a bit better. I will be praying for all of you that you have a good resolution. ginnie